PISCATAWAY – After missing his true freshman season recovering from a knee injury, Moses Walker got his first chance to contribute to Rutgers football's defense last season.
What was your first impression of him?
Things are a little different at this level.
“It was really fast,” Walker said of what he learned early on. “The linemen are a lot bigger than they were in high school.”
It was a valuable experience for Walker as he learned what it takes to be a linebacker in the Big Ten, and now he's looking to take another leap forward next season.
Walker, a product of Erasmus Hall, is New York's top recruit in the 2022 recruiting class and one of several young linebackers hoping to make an impact in 2024.
That group also includes Quebec native Dariel Jabome, who has made solid strides, and Abram Wright, who impressed in the Pinstripe Bowl as a true freshman.
Rutgers football returns Mohamed Toure and Tyrem Powell, but needs young linebacker depth
Rutgers will have Mohamed Toure, who was second on the team with 93 tackles (9 1/2 for loss) and led the team with 4 1/2 sacks last season, absent from spring practice to recover from a torn Achilles tendon, but will not be available for the game. Tyrim Powell is expected to return in time. The beginning of the season.
However, the Scarlet Knights like to bring players in and out during games to keep everyone fresh.
“If you have depth on defense, you've got to play hard,” coach Greg Schiano said after Rutgers' first scrimmage of the spring.
That's where players like Walker, Jabome, and Wright come in.
What exactly their role will be in 2024 remains to be seen.
But Jabome, who played in 10 games last season and recorded 15 tackles, said the experience he gained was important.
Young LBs learning from Toure and Powell
“It was really big for sure,” Jabome said. “It's definitely different going from practice to game. So what I went through last year, little things in playing the game, it really opened my eyes and said, 'Okay, I've got to do this better, I've got to do that better. I thought, “I have to do well.''
more How Rutgers is preparing for new rule changes in college football
Jabome has also worked hard in the weight room, weighing about 210 pounds when he arrived at Rutgers and now weighing about 240 pounds.
Having players like Toure and Powell in the linebacker room, now led by defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Joe Harasimiak, also helped both Walker and Jabome learn.
“Just being able to rely on the older guys, you can learn a lot from them and teach them a lot,” Jabome said. “You've got to be able to be coached and you've got to be willing to be coached. That's the biggest advice I would give people.”
Walker and Toure suffered torn ACLs during spring practice in 2022. Their bond deepened as they supported each other through their recovery, which cost them both the 2022 season.
“It's been good. Just feeding off each other's energy and letting each other know we're here for each other,” Walker said. “It’s just a brotherhood here, a family.”
Are we now heading towards 2024?
Rutgers' young linebackers have big opportunities ahead of them.
“Focus on the moment and capture the moment,” Jabome said. “That's the biggest emphasis for me. Just taking it one day at a time, one moment at a time, one game at a time.”
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Rutgers football: Two young linebackers ready to make a big impression
